UDSM student hangs himself Send to a friend
Wednesday, 17 October 2012 23:31
By Elisha Magolanga
The Citizen Correspondent
Dar es Salaam. A first-year University of Dar es Salaam (UDSM) student
has committed suicide by hanging himself with his shirt in a guest house
in the city.
Kinondoni Regional Police Commander Charles Kenyela told The Citizen
yesterday that Joseph Lugemalila, 21, killed himself at Rombo Guest
House in Manzese last Saturday, just six days after reporting at the
university.
He said Lugemalila, who hailed from Ukerewe District, Mwanza Region, had
on Friday checked into the guest house, where he registered himself as
Dickson John.
Police found in the room an envelope containing a suicide note, medical
documents, school certificates, identity cards and various other
documents.
According to Mr Kenyela, Lugemalila said in the suicide note dated
October 12: “I have decided to end my life because of a number of
difficulties. I won’t succeed even if I decide to continue with my
studies.”
One of the documents found in the room showed that Lugemalila underwent a
medical examination at the UDSM Dispensary on October 7, and the next
day he received results showing that he was HIV-positive.
“It’s possible he killed himself because of shock and a sense of
hopelessness after he was diagnosed with HIV… a preliminary
investigation has established that he killed himself on Saturday night
and the body was discovered the following morning,” Mr Kenyela said.
UDSM spokesperson Jackson Isidory confirmed that Lugemalila was a
student at the university, but declined to give details and referred
this reporter to the police.
The student’s father, Mr Pastory Lugemalila, who had travelled to Dar es
Salaam to collect the body, said: “My son called me about a week before
his death, and told me that he was fine and happy to get accommodation
at the main campus. His sudden death has shocked me.”
The body was flown to Mwanza yesterday for burial in Ukerewe tomorrow.
